Apparatus for banding workmembers

ABSTRACT

The invention pertains to an apparatus for banding workmembers in the form of coils of strip material, or bunches, or stacks of sheet or rod material, and includes a frame into which the workmember is introduced horizontally, whereupon a strip of banding material is fed into the space around the workmember and guided about the member until its ends overlap. The leading end of the strip of banding material is then clamped to the workmember. The band is then drawn tight about the workmember and clamped thereto near the trailing end. The overlapping ends of the strip of banding material is interconnected and the band is cut off from the supply of banding material.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Curt Kronsbein Hagen-Boelerheide, Germany [21] Appl. No. 769,123

[22] Filed Oct. 21, 1968 [45] Patented Mar. 2, 1971 [73] Assignee Eugen Bellmann G.m.b.H. Hammerstrasse, Germany [32] Priority Oct. 20, 1967 [33] Germany [54] APPARATUS FOR BANDING WORKMEMBERS 2,959,118 11/1960 Hager..

Primary Examiner-Bil1y J. Wilhite Attorney-Melvin A. Crosby ABSTRACT: The invention pertains to an apparatus for banding workmembers in the form of coils of strip material, or bunches, or stacks of sheet or rod material, and includes a frame into which the workmember is introduced horizontally, whereupon a strip of banding material is fed into the space around the workmember and guided about the member until its ends overlap. The leading end of the strip of banding material is then clamped to the workmember. The band is then drawn tight about the workmember and clamped thereto near the trailing end. The overlapping ends of the strip of banding material is interconnected and the band is cut off from the supply of banding material.

I Patented March 2, 19 71 4 Sheets-Sheet. I

INVENTOR. CURT KRNISBEIH m wm Pmmdmmb 2,1971 3,566,779

1 4 Sheet s-Sheot 5 INVENTOR. (URT KRONSBIJN Patented March 2, 1911 I 3,566,779

4 Sheets-She 4 INVENTOR.

CURT KRONSBEIN APPARATUS FOR BAN DING WORKMEMBERS This invention relates to an apparatus for applying bands to workmembers as, for example, bundles, or stocks, or bunches of articles or coils of strip material, and is particularly concerned with such an apparatus in which all manual labor is eliminated.

Many materials are produced which must be bundled and tied up in some manner for shipping. For example, sheets or strips of metal or plastic, or bundles of metal plates, or plastic plates or rodlike material, or wire, or screening, and still other articles'well known in commerce, such as reels or rolls of strip material, are best shipped when tightly banded or tied.

In US. Pat. No. 3,329,083, a method and apparatus has been suggested for placing strips around a coil of sheet metal and in which patent the device shown is constructed so that the coils of metal sheets are conveyed in a vertical position to the device which places the band thereon. The bands, are then placed around the vertically positioned coil of sheet metal and drawn about the coil and the ends of the banding strip are then interconnected.

The present invention proposes toprovide an apparatus for banding bundles, bales, bunches, and packages of articles, and reels or rolls, which provides for placing bands around the. articles while the articles are in a more or less horizontal position. This eliminates the necessity for turning or otherwise ad.- justing the position of the articles to be packaged as in the case of the device of the patent referred to above.

In the following description and in the appended claims, the term workmember been employed for the article, or group of articles, being banded and is to be understood to include bundles, bales, bunches, stacks of articles, such as plates, rods, sheets and the like, and coils of strip material and the like.

The present invention has a primary object, the provision of an automatic banding machine in which the workmember to be banded can be banded in the position which it naturally occupies, thereby eliminating turning of the workmember to any special position.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus for banding workmembers which is entirely automatic and in which all manual labor is eliminated, thereby making the banding faster and permitting banding of workmembers while hot as, for example, sheets or rolls of steel fresh from the mill.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus for banding horizontally disposed workmembers including the passing of banding material completely around the workmembers without the necessity of elevating the work member or otherwise disturbing its rest position.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of an apparatus of the nature referred to in which workmembers or the like of any size can be handled in one and the same apparatus.

The objects referred to above, as well as still other objects and advantages of the present invention, will become more apparent upon reference to the following detailed specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a general view of a machine according to the present invention, looking in the direction of the path of movement of workmembers into and outof themachine;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the machine shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a view drawn at enlarged scale and showing the banding strip feeding, clamping, and connecting devices of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the present invention, the bundles, bales, bunches, packages, or groups, or coils, or reels, or the like, of the articles to be packaged, and referred to as the workmember, are fed horizontally, and while in a horizontal condition, into a stationary frame which defines a large circle disposed in a vertical plane.

In the frame is an annular guideway having a section which is connected to a carriage which can be moved radially toward the workmember which is to be banded. Carried on the carriage is a feeding device for feeding a closure strip around the inside of the aforementioned guideway until the leading end of the strip overlaps the strip being fed.

After the strip has been fed around the guideway, in the aforementioned manner, the said carriage is moved radially inwardly until it engages the workmember to be banded. The strip which has been passed around the workmember is nowclamped to the workmember by a first clamping device in a region near the leading endthereof at a point ahead of the re.- gion where the leading end of the strip overlaps the strip being fed. The feeding device is then reversed so that the excess portion of the banding strip which has been fed about the guideway is withdrawn and the banding strip is made tight around the workmember.

A second clamping device which is circumferentially spaced, from the first-mentioned clamping device in the direction of feeding of the strip is now actuated to clamp the trailing end of the strip to the workmember. The ends of the strip are then connected together in the region where they overlap and the strip is then cut off from the supply leaving a completed band about the workmember.

The configuration of the workmember banded can vary quite widely; for example, the workmember may be a reel of strip material, such as metal, plastic or wire screening or the like, in which case the workmember to be banded is substantially circular; while, on the other hand, the workmember to be banded might consist of a bundle of sheets of metal or plastic, in which case the contour of the workmember in cross section would be substantially rectangular. In any case, as long as the workmember to be banded can be introduced into the guideway about which the banding strip is fed, it can be automatically banded according to the present invention regardless of the cross-sectional shape of the workmember.

Where the banding material is in the form of a metal strip, the ends of the banding strip can be joined by electric welding or by heating the strip and soldering the ends of the strip together. Alternatively, known devices can apply members to the overlapping regions of the banding strip and crimp the members so that the ends of the strip are locked together. Where the banding material is in the form of a strip of plastic material, the ends of the strip may be welded together as by in.- duction welding or by applying heat and pressure thereto.

Furthermore, in the case of either metal or plastic-banding material, adhesive, either of the cold-setting 'or hot-setting type, can be employed for joining the ends of the strip.

Furthermore, such an adhesive may contain a catalyst and, in this manner, have the setting thereof speeded up. Speeding up of the setting of the cement may be accompanied by the application of heat, if so desired.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings somewhat more in detail, the machine shown in FIG. 1 rests on floor 1 and comprises a pair of laterally spaced stationary semiframes 2 and 3 which, together, define a circular space designated by reference numeral 4 and into which the workmember W to be banded is introduced, as by being moved on any suitable conveyor member which will locate a workmember within the said opening; while, at the same time, leaving a space open at the bottom of the workmember for receiving a strip of handing material.

The apparatus comprises elevated platform means 7 to which access may be had by stairways 5' and 6. Platform means 7'is preferably surrounded by a protective railing 8.

The platform means 7 has spaced upstanding frame members 7a and 7b presenting opposed spaced vertical tracks H5.

Tracks 11 are engaged by rollers 10, which are rotatably mounted on opposite sides of a vertically movable carriage 9. The bottom edge of the carriage is curved and carries a member 9a forming the continuation of a guideway extending around the inside of opening 4 and consisting of a part 2a carried by semiframe 2 and a part 3a carried by semiframe 3. A still further portion of the guideway made up of portions 2a, 3a and 9a is indicated at 4a at the bottom of the said track and may be provided for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

On platform means 7, above semiframe 2, is a trestle or frame 12 having therein a roll, or reel 13 of the banding strip material, steel or strong plastic, for example, supported on rollers 14 in such a manner that the reel or roll of material can rotate. A strip 13a is pulled off from the roll or reel and extends along a guiding path 15 carried by stationary frame part 7a, and is then guided above movable carriage 9 as by guideway 16 and finally enters a guideway 17 carried by movable carriage 9. The lower end of guideway 17 is curved inwardly, as at 17a and strip material is fed therefrom in the direction of arrow 18 in FIG. 1 so that the strip will pass around the aforementioned guideway and form a loop of material about the workmember The strip 13a, as it emerges from guideway 17, enters and passes through a group of rollers forming a feeding and tensioning device, generally indicated at 19, and which can either advance the strip 13a in the direction of arrow 18, or retract it in the opposite direction when the band is to be drawn tight around the workmember W. In FIG. 1, the workmember W is shown as a reel 21 of sheet metal, but it will be understood that workmember W could, as mentioned previously, be in the form of any sort of article or collection of articles, or stack of articles, requiring banding for shipping purposes.

After the strip 13a is fed completely about the inside of the circular guideway to a point that the leading end of the strip is overlapping the incoming portion fed by the feeding device 19, the feeding of the strip is halted and the carriage 9 is moved toward the workmember. This may be accomplished, for example, by the fluid motor indicated generally at 27, which is connected between the carriage 9 and 'a stationary bridge member 27a extending between and connected to the stationary frame parts 70 and 7b.

The carriage 9 is lowered until the portion 9a thereof engages, or is close to, the workmember to be banded, whereupon downward movement of the carriage is halted, and the tensioning of the band about the workmember is commenced. Tensioning the band is accomplished by first clamping the leading end thereof, or a point adjacent the leading end thereof to the workmember, by a clamping device generally indicated at 22, which presses the banding material tightly against the workmember W. With the strip of banding material thus clamped, the feeding device 19 is reversed and draws the strip of banding material tightly about the workmember W.

The clamping device 20 is then actuated to clamp the strip of banding material to the workmember W and, at this time, the strip of banding material is tight around workmember W, and the ends 23 and 24 are in overlapping relation. The overlapping ends of the strip of banding material are then interconnected, as by welding or the like, and, thereafter, the cutoff shear operates to sever the strip of banding material from the supply thereof. The frame or carriage 9 can now retract upwardly and the now banded workmember W can now move out of the banding station.

It is, of course, possible to apply several bands if workmember W is elongated or for any reasons requires more than one band, but the applying of a single band to the workmember demonstrates the manner in which the device of the present invention operates.

The driving of the several instrumentalities can occur hydraulically or electrically and, in the case where the band is welded together, a transformer 28 supplies the welding current.

The feeding device 19 may be driven in any suitable manner as, for example, by the fluid motor 29 illustrated in FIG. 1.

The details of the feeding device and the clamping device associated therewith, and the arrangement for welding the overlapping ends of the banding strip together is more fully shown in FIG. 4. In this FIG., the same reference numerals are employed as have been used in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 4, it will be seen that the feeding device 19 comprises the spaced driven feed rollers 19a and 19b and other rollers 27a and 27b mounted in a carriage 27c which is adapted for movement by fluid motor 36 to press rollers 27a and 27b against rollers 19a and 19b, or to separate the said rollers from each other. Rollers 19a and 19b may be provided with gears which mesh with a further gear driven through a suitable drive train including bevel gears from a shaft driven via a universal coupling 19d from a suitable motor; for example, the fluid motor 29, shown in FIG. 1, or from an electric motor.

FIG. 4 will show that the curved end 17a of guideway 17 introduces the strip 13a into the feeding device and that from the feeding device, the strip of banding material 13a is pushed through a guide arrangement 360, which includes a support 35 which provides a support "for movable blade 26d of the cutoff arrangement which includes the fluid operated drive motor 26 for actuating the movable cutting blade 26d in a cutting direction. The support 35 supports a stationary blade which cooperates with blade 26d for a cutting operation.

The aforementioned clamping device 22, previously referred to, will be seen to comprise a shoe 22a which is movable through an aperture 30 in the guide member 9a and which shoe is pivotally connected to the ram of a fluid motor 37. The shoe can be actuated by motor 37 inwardly into engagement with the strip of banding material to clamp it to the workmember W, or retracted outwardly from the workmember to its FIG. 4 position to release the strip of banding material.

On the other side of the centerline of the machine is the other clamping device 20 and it also includes a shoe 20a movable through an opening 32 in the guide member 9a and with the shoe being pivotally connected to the ram of a fluid motor 31.

It will be observed that the clamping devices act in such a direction that, simultaneously with the clamping ofthe strip of banding material to the workmember, the strip of banding material is also urged in tightening direction. The band, after having been tightened by reversing of the feeding device, is thus maintained tight by the action of the clamping devices until the ends of the band have been interconnected.

It has been mentioned that the ends of the band are connected before the cutoff shear operates, but it will be evident that inasmuch as the clamping devices hold the band tight about the workmember, the cutoff shear could be operated before the connection device, if so desired, and the band would not be loose about the workmember.

FIG. 4 will also show that a plunger 33 extends in the radial direction through, or adjacent, guide member 9a in about the center thereof and is pivoted at 33a to a lever 33b which is, in turn, pivoted to a stationary point 33c on carriage 9 and biased by a spring 33d in a direction to cause plunger 33 to project downwardly through guide member 9a. When guide member 9a is lowered until plunger 33 engages the workmember, lever 33b is tilted and actuates a limit switch 38 which initiates a cycle for connecting the ends of the band together. This may be accomplished, as shown in FIG. 4, by welding head 25 which is movable by fluid motor 34 into engagement with the strip of banding material in the region where the bending material overlaps itself so as to spotweld the strip of banding material to itself. The spotwelding members carried by head 25 are indicated at 25a and 25b in FIG. 4 and these are supplied from the transformer 28 via the flexible leads 250.

It is after the welding operation is completed that the shearing blades are actuated to cut off the strip, whereupon the carriage 9 can retract upwardly. The banding operation is then completed and the workmember can either be advanced to the position where it is to receive another band or it can be removed from the banding station and another workmember brought into position to be banded.

To review the operation; a workmember to be handed is first moved into a proper axial position in space 4. The feed device 19 is then actuated to push a strip of banding material about the guideway surrounding the space 4. When this band ing material has advanced to the point that its leading end is well past the top center position in space 4, the carriage 9 is moved downwardly until guide member 9a is close to'the top of the workmember as indicated by the plunger 33 being engaged by the workmember and moved upwardly. The clamp 22 is then actuated to clamp the leading end of the strip to the workmember. The feeding device is then reversed and draws the band tight about the workmember. The clamp is then actuated to clampthe trailing end of the strip to the workmember.

The connecting device, a welding head, for example, is then activated to weld the ends of the banding strip together. The shears are then actuated to cut off the strip between the point where it is welded andthe supply of the strip material. Finally, the carriage 9 is retracted to its upper position.

All of the interlocks and the like, necessary to perform a completely automatic operation, have not been illustrated herein because such elements can readily be supplied by those skilled in the art. I It will be understood that modifications and adaptations may be made in the structure and procedure, illustrated and described, and falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In an apparatus for applying strips of banding material to a workmember which is in the form of acoil and comprising: a frame having a working space into which workmember to be banded can be introduced in the horizontal direction with the coil axis horizontal, means for supporting a workmember in said frame while leaving the center part of the work member exposed, an annular guideway vertically positioned in the frame surrounding the working space and closed in the radially outward direction and serving as a guideway for a strip of banding material, means for supporting a supply of handing material in the form of a strip in said frame, feed means adjacent said guideway at a first point therearound adapted for feeding said strip of banding material from said supply endwise in a substantially tangential direction into said guideway so the strip will be guided by the guideway about a closed path until it overlaps itself, a first clamping deviceadjacent said guideway operable for clamping the leading end of said strip to said workmember at a second point about said guideway means for severing said strip between thesupply thereof and the place where the strip is joined to itself, said guideway comprising a separable section facing the side of the workmember opposite said means supporting the workmember spanning said first, second and third points, a carriage supporting said guideway section and guided in said frame so as to be movable radially into said working space so as to bring the overlapping portion of said strip into contact with the surface of said workmember opposite the side on which the latter is supported by said supporting means, said feed means and said first and second clamping devices and said joiningmeans and cutoff means all being mounted on said carriage to move therewith, and means for moving said carriage in said frame to dispose said guideway section in proximity with said workmember following the feeding of said strip of handing material around the guideway and prior to operation of said clamping devices, said last mentioned means also being operable to return said carriage to retract said guideway sectionfrom said workmember.

. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which each said clamping device comprises means for biasing the respective clamped region of the strip of banding material in band and means for reversibly driving said driven roller means.

ahead of the region where the strip overlaps itself, said feed 'means being reversible so as to be able to draw the strip tight 5. An apparatus according to claim 4 in which said clamping devices and said driven roller means are hydraulically driven.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4 in which said joining means comprises electric welding means operable to weld the said strip to itself in the region where the strip overlaps itself.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 in which said carriage includes a feeler plunger extending into said working space and adapted to engage said workmember when the carriage is moved toward the workmember after said strip of handing material has been fed around said guideway into overlapping relation with itself, and a switch operated by said plunger when said carriage advances into theworking space into proximity withsaid workmember and adapted to initiate operation of said joining means.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 in which said cutoff means is positioned closely adjacent said welding means.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 in which said feeding means includes a guide for said strip which extends to a point close to said welding means, and said cutoff means comprises stationary blade means on the end of said guide and a movable blade means movably carried by the said end of the guide, said strip being fed between said blade means and being cut off by actuation of said movable blade means. 

1. In an apparatus for applying strips of banding material to a workmember which is in the form of a coil and comprising: a frame having a working space into which workmember to be banded can be introduced in the horizontal direction with the coil axis horizontal, means for supporting a workmember in said frame while leaving the center part of the worK member exposed, an annular guideway vertically positioned in the frame surrounding the working space and closed in the radially outward direction and serving as a guideway for a strip of banding material, means for supporting a supply of banding material in the form of a strip in said frame, feed means adjacent said guideway at a first point therearound adapted for feeding said strip of banding material from said supply endwise in a substantially tangential direction into said guideway so the strip will be guided by the guideway about a closed path until it overlaps itself, a first clamping device adjacent said guideway operable for clamping the leading end of said strip to said workmember at a second point about said guideway ahead of the region where the strip overlaps itself, said feed means being reversible so as to be able to draw the strip tight about the workmember after said first clamping device is actuated, a second clamping device adjacent said guideway operable for clamping said strip to said workmember at a third point spaced from said first point on the opposite side thereof from said second point, joining means for joining the trailing end of said strip to the leading end thereof in the region between said second and third points where the strip overlaps itself, cutoff means for severing said strip between the supply thereof and the place where the strip is joined to itself, said guideway comprising a separable section facing the side of the workmember opposite said means supporting the workmember spanning said first, second and third points, a carriage supporting said guideway section and guided in said frame so as to be movable radially into said working space so as to bring the overlapping portion of said strip into contact with the surface of said workmember opposite the side on which the latter is supported by said supporting means, said feed means and said first and second clamping devices and said joining means and cutoff means all being mounted on said carriage to move therewith, and means for moving said carriage in said frame to dispose said guideway section in proximity with said workmember following the feeding of said strip of banding material around the guideway and prior to operation of said clamping devices, said last mentioned means also being operable to return said carriage to retract said guideway section from said workmember.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which each said clamping device comprises means for biasing the respective clamped region of the strip of banding material in band tightening direction.
 3. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which each said clamping device comprises a clamp member, an aperture in said guideway section for each clamp member, and a reciprocable actuator on the carriage pivotally connected to each clamp member.
 4. An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said feed means comprises driven roller means on one side of the path of said strip, other roller means on the other side of said path and movable toward and away from said driven roller means, and means for reversibly driving said driven roller means.
 5. An apparatus according to claim 4 in which said clamping devices and said driven roller means are hydraulically driven.
 6. An apparatus according to claim 4 in which said joining means comprises electric welding means operable to weld the said strip to itself in the region where the strip overlaps itself.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 6 in which said carriage includes a feeler plunger extending into said working space and adapted to engage said workmember when the carriage is moved toward the workmember after said strip of banding material has been fed around said guideway into overlapping relation with itself, and a switch operated by said plunger when said carriage advances into the working space into proximity with said workmember and adapted to initiate operation of said joining means.
 8. An apparatus according to claim 7 in which said cutoff means is Positioned closely adjacent said welding means.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 8 in which said feeding means includes a guide for said strip which extends to a point close to said welding means, and said cutoff means comprises stationary blade means on the end of said guide and a movable blade means movably carried by the said end of the guide, said strip being fed between said blade means and being cut off by actuation of said movable blade means. 